糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Alumnus David Dunavant Finds His Path Through Music
When David Dunavant arrived at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, he didn鈥檛 have a career plan. He wasn鈥檛 even sure college was part of his future.
The Little Rock native graduated from high school in 1996 with little interest in continuing his education, but after encouragement from his family, Dunavant eventually enrolled at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock, where he initially considered studying psychology before finding his way to the Music Program.
At the time, Dunavant had already spent years playing guitar and performing with local rock bands, so he walked into the music program confident in what he knew about the instrument, but quickly discovered how much he still had to learn.
鈥淚鈥檇 been playing in rock bands and playing in bars in Little Rock, and thought I knew a lot about music,鈥� Dunavant said. 鈥淎nd much to my dismay, they informed me I did not.鈥�
The realization intrigued him. Dunavant became a music major with an emphasis in jazz guitar and began studying under Michael Carenbauer, now professor emeritus of music. He went on to graduate magna cum laude from 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock in 2004 with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in music and a minor in writing.
It was his relationship with Carenbauer that Dunavant credits with changing the direction of his life.
鈥淗e altered the course of my life, and he doesn鈥檛 like it when I say that,鈥� Dunavant said. 鈥淏ut I tell him, 鈥楾oo bad, I鈥檓 going to say it anyway because it鈥檚 true.鈥欌��
Carenbauer remembers a student who embraced opportunities to learn, both from his professors and the students around him.
鈥淒avid was a really good student,鈥� Carenbauer said. 鈥淲hat I mean by that is that he was open to taking ideas from a teacher and applying what he learned, then applying that into a career, as well. He made a tremendous amount of progress when he was (a student).鈥�
More importantly, Carenbauer saw potential that Dunavant had yet to recognize in himself.
鈥淚 felt he had skills beyond what he knew he had,鈥� Carenbauer said. 鈥淗e was very coachable and eager to learn. I think that鈥檚 the number one thing you want from a student as a teacher is that openness to learning.鈥�
Carenbauer鈥檚 influence extended beyond guitar. Dunavant credits his mentor with teaching him lessons about responsibility, organization, and navigating life as a professional. Carenbauer also encouraged Dunavant to minor in writing, telling him that the ability to communicate would serve him regardless of where his career took him, and that advice proved valuable. Dunavant later wrote two guitar method books and developed his Street Guitar teaching curriculum.
After graduating from 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock, Dunavant continued his education at Bowling Green State University in Ohio, where he earned a master鈥檚 degree in jazz guitar. By then, he knew he wanted to teach.
鈥淚 told Mike, 鈥業 want to be like you, I want to do what you鈥檙e doing,鈥欌�� Dunavant said.
Dunavant returned to Arkansas and spent the next 19 years teaching at the collegiate level, including two years in the 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock music department. He also taught at Arkansas State University-Beebe and the University of Arkansas-Pulaski Technical College before eventually leaving academia to focus full time on his private Little Rock-based teaching studio, .
That move required Dunavant to think about a career in music differently. Today, he sees musicians not only as artists but as entrepreneurs who must be willing to create their own opportunities.
鈥淭he world鈥檚 not going to come to you,鈥� Dunavant said. 鈥淵ou have to go to the world.鈥�
That philosophy also helped lead Dunavant to establish , a nonprofit that gives underserved Arkansas children an opportunity to learn an instrument regardless of the financial circumstances of their families. For Dunavant, the mission comes down to giving children a fair opportunity.
鈥淵ou didn鈥檛 pick your parents. You didn鈥檛 pick what country you鈥檙e born in. You didn鈥檛 pick your parents鈥� income level,鈥� he said.
Through Guitar Wars, selected young musicians receive a quality guitar they can keep and four months of private lessons. Dunavant researches instructors near each recipient and pays the teaching studio directly. The organization also hosts an annual amateur guitar competition in downtown Little Rock in collaboration with the city of Little Rock and the Central Arkansas Library System.
Dunavant sees a connection between the opportunities he received at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock and those he now works to provide for others.
He also remains connected to the university through Guitar Wars. A partnership with 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock鈥檚 business program led him to Ryleigh Abbott who initially joined the nonprofit as an intern. Two years later, Abbott is serving as chief operating officer of Guitar Wars.
Abbott said Dunavant has encouraged her to pursue opportunities rather than wait for them.
鈥淗e鈥檚 always told me that if you want something, put in the effort to go and get it,鈥� Abbott said.聽
Dunavant always possessed a willingness to pursue new opportunities. Persistence has been a constant throughout a career that has taken him from college classrooms to entrepreneurship and nonprofit work.
It is also a message he will bring back to 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock on Oct. 1 when he speaks with music students at the invitation of Naoki Hakutani, professor of piano.
Dunavant plans to discuss music entrepreneurship, building a sustainable private teaching studio, modern career paths for musicians, the use of artificial intelligence in the music business, and his nonprofit work. Above all, he wants students to understand that a music degree does not limit them to one career and that opportunities often require them to venture beyond what feels familiar.
鈥淵ou can go out there and make your own career,鈥� Dunavant said. 鈥淵ou鈥檝e just got to go do it.鈥�
Carenbauer hopes students recognize the same willingness to learn that he saw in Dunavant years ago.
鈥淗e was never afraid to learn things he didn鈥檛 know, and that made him successful,鈥� Carenbauer said. 鈥淪ometimes that means learning about things that you don鈥檛 know are right in front of you.鈥�
Dunavant鈥檚 return will also bring him back to a place that holds a particular memory.
He will speak on the Stella Boyle Smith Concert Hall stage in the Fine Arts Building, the same stage where he gave one of his first performances as a 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock student and discovered just how nervous performing in front of an audience could make him.
This time, he will stand on that stage not as a student trying to figure out where music might take him, but as an alumnus hoping his experience can help the students sitting in the audience find their own direction.
鈥淚t鈥檒l be a full-circle moment,鈥� Dunavant said. 鈥淣ow I鈥檓 giving them advice, and hopefully it will help some of them.鈥�